Thanks to Janet & Justin, Grammies will have delayed telecast

The Grammies won't be telecast live this year.

Thanks to Justin Timberlake ripping off Janet Jackson's bustier at last Sunday's Super Bowl, revealing the pop singer's right breast, CBS announced yesterday that its broadcast of next Sunday's Grammy Awards will be broadcast with a five second delay.

CBS also telecast the Super Bowl -- arguably America's biggest annual sporting event -- live, and Jackson/Timberlake's antics led to many red faces at the network.

Even though CBS producers quickly cut from the display of Jackson's breast to other scenes at the Super Bowl, photographs of the incident were seen all over the world. MTV -- which, like CBS, is owned by Sumner Redstone's Viacom Corporation -- produced the half-time show at the Super Bowl, that also starred Kid Rock, Nelly and P Diddy.

The five-second delay will enable CBS producers to censor the show if it gets too raunchy and inappropriate for family viewing.

Such delayed broadcasts were common on American television in the 1960s and 1970s when audiences were less forgiving of gross conduct that entertainers are notorious for. Bleep Bleep was a sound heard often enough during  telecasts of showbiz events. But, as audiences matured, television producers dumped the delayed broadcast and took the risk of beaming the show live to millions of people the world over.

Jackson has apologized for the stunt. 'It was not my intention that it go as far as it did,' she said in a statement. 'I apologize to anyone offended.'

Michael Powell, chairman of America's Federal Communications Commission and US Secretary of State Colin Powell's son, has launched an investigation into the incident. If it is proven that it was deliberate, CBS, MTV and 216 of its affiliates may be fined $27,000 each.

Star World will telecast the Grammies live in India. Indian audiences can see it early on Monday, February 9, morning.

Timberlake, nominated for five Grammies, is scheduled to perform at the event. After the Super Bowl, no prizes surely for guessing that Justin's act will be a solo.